Vaporizers



March 29, 1966 J. F. KoPczYNsKl 3,242,908

VAPORIZERS Filed May 25, 1964 l n' 5%@ mm IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent O 3,242,963 VAPORZERS .lohn F. Kopczynslri, 1671 Sweeney St., North Tonawanda, NX. Filed May 25, 1964, Ser. No. 369,858 21 Claims. (Cl. 122-11) This invention relates to vaporizers and particularly to such devices useful as vaporizers and also for studying `the effects on various liquids that may have solids in solution therein, and on various mixtures of different liquids and of liquids .and gases, when such liquids and mixtures are discharged under very heavy pressure through a restricted orifice, suddenly into an expansion chamber that is under a substantial vacuum.

An object of the invention is to provide .a continuous vaporizer, in which various liquids with solids in solution therein, and various mixtures of diiferent liquids and of liquids and gases may be abruptly and continuously discharged at very heavy and ultra-heavy pressures into an expansion chamber that is under a substantial vacuum, where the pressure on the liquid may be created by centrifugal forces, with which various mixtures of such liquids may be vaporized together iny this manner, which have maximum possible vaporizing capabilities, and which will be relatively s-imple, effective, compact and inexpensive.

Other Iobjects and advantages will be apparent fro-m the following description of some examples of apparatus that maybe used for carrying out the above mentioned objects and the novel features -will be particularly pointed out in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. l is a sectional plan of a device constructed in accordance with this invention, the section being taken approximately along the line 1 1 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, this section being taken approximately along the l-ine 2-2 of FIG. 1;

F-IG. 3 is a partial, sectional plan of Ia small part of the rotor of the same, but shown on a much larger scale than in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional detail of a modiiication of a part of the rotor; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation of a part o-f the rotor of the same with a slight modification of the same.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 3, a housing 10 with a removable cover or top 111 is mounted on the upper end of an upstanding tubular support 12. A shaft 13 extends upwardly through the tubular support 12 and into the housing 1li where it terminates in a cylindrically shaped centrifugal member y14 w-hose axis coincides with the axis of rotation of the shaft 13. The member 14 has a cylindrical outer peripheral wall 15, and within it a closed chamber 16 whose axis also coincides with the axis of rotation of the shaft 13. The member 14 has a removable cover 17 that is secured to the body of the member in any suitable manner such as by machine screws 1S whose Shanks pass through the cover and are threaded into the body of the member. This enables access to be had to the chamber 16 and to simplify manufacture of the member.

The body of the member 14, in its outer peripheral Wall, has a pluarlity of cylindrical, expansion chamber recesses 19 whose axes are in planes normal to the axis of rotation of the shaft 13. T-hese recesses 19 are spaced apart around this outer peripheral wall and in the ernbodirnent shown in FIGS. 1-3 have their longitudinal axes inclined outwardly and rearwardly with respect to the clockwise direction of rotation of the member 14, i.e. inclined outwardly and in a trailing direction. The inner peripheral wall 20 of the body, which is the outer 321,9@8 Patented Mar. 29, 1966 ice peripheral wall of the `chamber 16 and concentric with the taxis `of rotation of the shaft 13, has a plurality of 21 leading from that wall 2li outwardly in directions toward the outer wall `15 and each discharging abruptly through a restricted orifice into one of the expansion recesses 19. Each passage 21 is convergingly tapered from the chamber 16 to its discharge orifice into an expansion recess 19, and also makes an acute angle to a radius of said chamber 16 to the entrance to the passage, and inclined outward-ly in a trailing direction with respect to the direction of rotation of the member 14. The longitudinal axis of each passage -21 is preferably parallel to the longitudinal axis of the expansion recess into which it discharges, but its discharge orifice is forwardly of the said axis of the related recess 19 with respect to the direction of rotation of the member 14, as shown in FIG. 3. As shown clearly in the drawing, the walls defining passages 21 a-re continuously unbroken from end to end thereof, i.e. are free of all inlet and outlet openings into it between its ends, and the same is true of the peripheral side wall of the recesses 19. Thus the fluid pressure created in passages l21 `and recesses 19, will always be that created by the centrifugal forces unmodiiied by further introduced fluid or release of iluid between the ends of the passages 21 and recesses 19.

The inner peripheral surface or Wall r2@ of chamber 16 has a plurality `of ribs or baffles 22 projecting in a radial direction into chamber 16, from about end to end of the chamber 16, and of very short height in a direction radially of the chamber 16, so as to cause any liquid placed in the chamber 16 to rotate with the wall Ztl and body 14, 4and form a layer along wall 2li. These ribs 22 are spaced apart along the wall 2li.

To enable one to get the liquid or iiuid specimen or specimens into the chamber 16, the .cover 17 is provided at its center of rotation with an aperture 23 through which a ysupply pipe 24- extends loosely. This pipe is provided with a control valve 25, and may be connected to a source, under pressure, of the liquid to be vaporized so that a continuous stream of suc-h liquid may be delivered into the chamber 16 as the member 14 rotates. A suitable seal 26, such as an O-r-ing of elastomeric material, may be provided in the passage 2? to 4contact with the pipe 24 and form a seal where pipe 24 enters chamber 16. The shaft 13 also has a plurality of conduits 27 run-ning in a direction length-wise of the shaft and opening int-o the chamber 16. Suitable valve controlled connecting passages, not shown, are provided for supplying liquids or fluids to conduits 27 as the shaft 13 rotates, so as to `continuously supply various different or the same liquids to ybe vaporized to the chamber 16 as the member 414 rotates with the shaft '13. The bottom wall 28 of housing 1t? slopes to one side and there opens into a drain 29 controlled by `a valve 30, through which may be drawn off 4any loose solids or non-vaporizable liquid components of the liquid supplied to chamber 16 by pipe 24 and conduits 27.

A conduit 31 controlled by a valve 32 is connected to the interior o-f the housing 1li through the cover 11, and conduit 31 is connected to a source of vacuum, not shown, so as to create a substantial vacuum within the housing and to withdraw from the housing and utilize vapors created in the expansion `chambers 19 by Ithe discharged liquid.

lIn the modiiication shown in FIG. 4 the cover plate 17 of the centrifugal member 14 employs a screw plug 33 threaded into the aperture 23a through which pipe 24 earlier passed, when the pipe 24 is not employed. In the modification shown in FIG. 5, the passages 21a, corlresponding to passages 21 of FIGS. 1-3, have their axes radial to the axis of rotation of the member 14, and the expansion chambers 19a, corresponding to chambers '19 of FIGS. l-3, have their axes radial to the axis of rotation of the member 14. The passages 21a discharge into the .chambers 19a in directions along the axes of such chambers. The peripheral wall 20a of chamber 16 may be outwardly convergent to facilitate flow of fluid from chamber 16 into the passages 21a.

The rotation of member 14 in the housing 10 in a clockwise direction will lcreate a frictional drag on any air or vapor in the interior of the housing around the periphery of the member 14, which tends to cause such lair or vapor to swirl in the housing. To restrict or limit any such tendency to swirl, the inner .face of the peripheral 'wall of housing 10 is provided with a plurality of radially disposed baffles 34 arranged around such wall and spaced apart. These baffles extend only a fraction of the distance to the per-iphery of the centrifugal member 14, and preferably less than 1/2 of that distance.

In use, the sha-ft 13 is rotated at very high speeds which drives the centrifugal member 14 at the same rotary speeds. At the same time, any or all of the pipe 24 and passages 27 may be selectively opened and used to deliver into the chamber 16 of the centrifugal member one or more liquids, or one or more liquids and a gas, or a mixture of gases. The fluids so admitted to the rotating member 14 m-ay have solids in solution and will, by centri-fugal force, be forced as a layer against the chamber wall 20 (in FIGS. 1 3) or 20a (in FIGS) and thence into and along the passages 21 (in FIGS. 1 3) or 21a (in FIG. and discharged under very high pressure through a restricted orice into an expansion chamber 19 or 19a, where some or all of any liquid so discharged is vaporized and then withdrawn through pipe 31. In FIGS. 1 3, the outwardly and rearwa-rdly trailing inclination, with respect to the direction (clockwise) of rotation of member 14, of passages 21 will, by inertia of the uid in the passages, be further pressed by its such inertia toward the discharge orice, which pressure is added to the centrifugal pressure upon the fluid being discharged into an expansion chamber 19. The rotation of member 14 clockwise will create a somewhat higher pressure lagainst the trailing wall 35 of each expansion chamber `19 than against the opposite wall, and since the discharge end of each passage 21 is nearer such opposite wall, the pressure in the part of the expansion chamber 19 into which the fluid is discharged from a conduit will be as low as possible. Since each expansion chamber 19 has its axis inclined outwardly, and rearwardly with respect to the clockwise direction of rotation of the member 14, the inertia of the uid in each chamber 19 will aid in creating some vacuum in that chamber 19 which aids in inducing vapor-ization of any liquid so discharged. Since the interior of the housing may be also under suction, as through pipe 31, the vacuum in each expansion chamber will be :further increased. This promotes more rapid vaporization of liquids discharged into the expansion chambers 19.

During the rotation of rotor 14, the side 40 of each recess 19 which is opposite from side 35 will be the for- Ward or leading wall of the recess, and a partial vacuum is always created at or near to the trailing side of a wall which is moving against the wind. Hence a localized partial rvacuum will be created in Ian area in each recess '19 along the side 4u and the passage 21 discharges into .this localized area, so that the pressure change in the fluid as it is discharged from passage 21 into this localized area under a partial vacuum is very pronounced. The periphery of rotor 14 is cylindrical so that the open face of each recess .19 is partially cylindrical. Air or uid moving transversely across an open end of a passage as across the open face of recess 19, creates a suction in such passage, like .an atomizer and tends to draw fluid from the passage such as from the interior of recess 119. This exerts a further atomizing action on fluids in each recess 19.

Since the chamber of the housing 10 around this rotor is under a partial but substantial vacuum, this further increases the tendency to vaporize or break up the iluid or fluids introduced into Ithe rotor through pipe 24 or conduit 27 or both. Thus the ud so -introduced into the rotor and discharged through pipe 31 will undergo several expansions in succession from the very high centrifugal pressure created by the rotation of the rotor, which greatly increases the vaporization of liquid treated over that obtained from use of prior vaporizors. It will be noted .that the outer peripheral wall of the rotor-is cylindrical and that the width of the open'faces of the recesses 19 is considerably less than the width of the outer peripheral wall, thus providing va continuously cylindrical wall between each recess 19 and the faces of the rotor 14 as well as between the recesses. This is to avoid a ratchet shaped outer periphery of the rotor..

The device as illustrated and described above is useful as a continuous vaporizer, and also for vaporizing medicinal liquids. Because of the ultra-high, continuous vpressures that may be applied to the liquids or fluids discharged into .the expansion chambers that are under vacuum, with this impr-oved device, -the device is also useful Ifor studying the effects 4of such condi-tions on liquids having solids in solution therein, as well as on various mixtures of liquids, and of liquids and gases. It, therefore, is very useful Ias a research instrument as well as a vaporizer. One may be able to determine the extent to which solids in solution may be separated by this device from a liquid under the ultra-high pressures and vacuums available in this device, as well as the edect of suc-h pressures and sudden expansions on mixtures of liquids and of liquids and gases.

The cross sectional area of chamber 19, transverse to the direction of discharge of liquid through said orifice, is many times greater than the face area of the discharge orifice, and more speciically such cross sectional area should be much more than 5 Atimes the face area of the discharge orifice.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts, which have been hereindescribed and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of thel invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for converting a liquid into a vapor which comprises:

(a) a body mounted for rotation in one direction and having within it a centrifugal chamber concentric with the axis of 'such rotation, and an inner peripheral wallthat defines said chamber,

(b) said body having a passage whose side wall is closed from end to end, and extending from said chamber outwardly through said inner peripheral wall and terminating at the outer periphery of the body in an expansion chamber having a substantially unrestricted face opening outwardly through the outer surface of said outer periphery, with a restricted discharge orifice into said expansion chamber,

(c) means connected to said body for discharging a liquid into said centrifugal chamber continuously during rotation of said body,

(d) whereby during rotation of said body said liquid, as introduced, will by centrifugal action form a layer thereofk along said inner peripheral Wall under high centrifugal pressure, and be discharged asa spray into said expansion chamber where at least some of the liquid will be vaporized,

(e) and 'means for collecting and withdrawing said vapors from said expansion chamber separately from the balance of the liquid.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said pas- .sage is tapered convergingly in an outward direction to its said discharge orifice, and is inclined in an outwardly trailing direction to a radius of said chamber leading to the entrance of said passage.

3. A device for converting a liquid into a vapor which comprises:

(a) a body mounted for rotation in one direction and having a centrifugal chamber concentric with the axis of such rotation,

( b) said-body having a passage from said chamber outwardly through its peripheral wall and there terminating in an expansion chamber opening outwardly in the outer surface of said wall, with a restricted discharge orifice into said expansion chamber,

(c) means connected to said body for discharging a liquid into said centrifugal chamber continuously during rotation of said body,

(d) whereby during rotation of said body said liquid, as introduced, will by centrifugal action form a layer thereof along said peripheral wall under high centrifugal pressure, and be discharged as a spray into said expansion chamber where at least some of the liquid will be vaporized,

(e) and means for collecting and withdrawing said vapors from said expansion chamber,

and a closed housing enclosing said body with a substantial space around the periphery of said body, and having a conduit connection opening into said space through which vacuum conditions may be created around said body within said space and any vapors removed from said space.

4. A device for converting a liquid into a vapor which comprises:

(a) a body mounted for rotation in one direction and having a centrifugal chamber concentric with the axis of such rotation,

(b) said body having a passage from said chamber outwardly through its peripheral wall and there terminating in an expansion chamber opening outwardly in the outer -surface of said wall, with a restricted discharge orifice into said expansion charnber,

(c) means connected to said body for discharging a liquid into said centrifugal chamber continuously during rotation of said body,

(d) whereby during rotation of said body said liquid, as introduced, will by centrifugal action form a layer thereof along said peripheral wall under high centrifugal pressure, and be discharged as a spray into said expansion chamber where at least some of the liquid will be vaporized,

(e) and means for collecting and withdrawing said vapors from said expansion chamber,

said discharge orifice opening into said expansion chamber offset from the axis of the expansion charnber in a leading direction relatively to said direction of rotation of said body.

5. A device for converting a liquid into a vapor which comprises:

(a) a body mounted for rotation in one direction and having a centrifugal chamber concentric with the axis of such rotation,

(b) said body having a passage from said chamber outwardly through its peripheral wall and there terminating in an expansion chamber opening outwardly in the outer surface of said wall, with a restricted discharge orifice into said expansion charnber,

(c) means connected to said body for discharging a liquid into said centrifugal chamber continuously during rotation of said body,

(d) whereby during rotation of said body said liquid, as introduced, will by centrifugal action form a layer thereof along said peripheral wall under high centrifugal pressure, and be discharged as a spray into said expansion chamber where at least some of the liquid will be vaporized,

(e) and means for collecting and withdrawing said vapors from said expansion chamber,

said body having a plurality of ribs projecting generally radially inwardly into said centrifugal chamber from the outer peripheral wall of that chamber, at intervals peripherally along it, and for a distance only a small fraction of a radius to such peripheral Wall.

6. A novel device for determining the eifect on a liquid that has solids in solution therein, which is con tinuously discharged under very heavy pressure through a restricted orifice into an expansion chamber having therein a substantial vacuum, which comprises:

(a) a body mounted for rotation and having therein a centrifugal chamber concentric with the axis of such rotation, with a passage from the periphery of said chamber outwardly in the peripheral wall of said body and terminating in a discharge oriiice,

(b) said body having a recess opening outwardly through its outer periphery into the inner end of which said orice opens, said recess having a crosssectional area, transverse to the direction of discharge of liquid through said orice, which is more than 5 times the face area of said orice,

(c) a closed housing enclosing said body with a substantial space around the peripheral wail of the body, and

(d) means by which said liquid may be delivered as a stream into said chamber during rotation of said body,

(e) said housing having an outlet through which vapors created in said recess may be withdrawn and utilized, and through which some vacuum may be created in said housing.

7. A novel device for discharging fluids at ultra-high pressures through a restricted orifice into an expansion chamber under some vacuum, which comprises:

(a) a member mounted for rotation and having therein a chamber concentric with the axis of such rotation, also a passage leading outwardly from said chamber in a direction away from said axis of rotation and discharging into the inner end of an expansion recess that lopens outwardly through an outer peripheral wall of the member that is concentric with said axis, said outer peripheral wall of said member being of a continuous, circular shape,

(b) said recess being cylindrical in shape and having a substantially larger cross sectional area, c'rosswise of the direction of discharge of uid into said recess, than the face area of the discharge end of said passage, and having a substantially unrestricted opening outwardly,

(c) the discharge end of said passage being an abrupt restricted orifice,

(d) means for supplying a Huid to said closed chamber continuously during rotation of said member and (e) a closed housing for said member in which a partial vacuum is created.

3. The device according to claim 7, wherein said passage is inclined outwardly and also rearwardly with rcspect to the direction of rotation of said member.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein the longitudinal axes of said passage and recess are inclined outwardly and also rearwardly with respect to the direction of rotation of the member to increase the centrifugal pressure on the fluid being discharged into said recess.

10. A novel device for discharging fluids at ultra-high pressures through a restricted orifice into an expansion chamber under some vacuum, which comprises:

(a) a member mounted for rotation and having therein a closed chamber concentric with the axis of such rotation, also a passage leading outwardly from said chamber in a direction away from said axis of rotation and discharging into the inner end of an expansion recess that opens outwardly through an outer peripheral Wall of the member that is concentric with said axis,

(b) said recess having a substantially larger cross sectional area, crosswise of the direction of discharge of fluid into said recess, than the face area of the discharge end of said passage,

(c) said passage being outwardly convergent and opening abruptly into said recess in a restricted orice,

(d) means for supplying a fluid to said closed chamber continuously during rotation of said member, and

(e) a closed housing enclosing said member with space between it and said peripheral wall having the recess -opening outwardly therethrough, with connections to a source of a vacuum from the interior of said housing.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said chamber has on its peripheral wall, a rib extending toward .the said axis of rotation of said member for increasing the tendency of the fluid in said chamber to move with said peripheral wall during rotation of said member.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein said housing carries a bafle on its side wall encircling said peripheral wall of said member for restricting tendency of any fluid in the housing around said member to swirl about said axis of rotation of said member.

13. A device for converting a liquid into a vapor which comprises;

(a) a body mounted for rotation in a selected direction and having within it a chamber concentric with the axis of said rotating body and having a circular outer periphery,

(b) said body having in its said outer periphery, a plurality of outwardly opening recesses arranged in a row, and spaced apart along the periphery, having widths at their outer open faces less than the width of the said periphery with unbroken peripheral circular surface along sides of the said open faces and between them, v

(c) said body having passages that are confined against entrances and exits extending between and opening at its ends into the peripheral wall of said chamber and the bottom of each recess,

(d) means for discharging a liquid into said chamber during rotation of said body,

(e) whereby during rotation of said body at high speeds, said introduced liquid in said chamber will form a layer along the peripheral wall of the cham-l ber and be discharged as a spray into said recesses, and from the recesses through ktheir open faces, and

(f) means for collecting and withdrawing the vapor components of said sprays separately from the balance of the spray.

14. The device according to claim 13 wherein said collecting means includes a closed housing enclosing said body with a substantial space around the periphery of said body, and having a conduit connection opening into said space through which partiedyacuum conditions may be created around said body aiid vapors from said spray removed. i i

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein said passages are progressively convergent from` said chamber to the opening into a recess.

16. The device according to claim 13, wherein the recesses are generally cylindrical in shape and have their longitudinal axes oblique to the radii of said body, with the axes inclined rearwardly and outwardly with respect to the direction of rotation of the body.

17. The device according to clairn 13, wherein said passages open into the recesses eccentrically thereof and nearer to the leading than the trailing side of the recess with respect to the direction of rotation of said body.

18. The device according to claim 13, wherein said passages open into the recesses eccentrically thereof and nearer to the leading than the trailing side of the recess with respect to the direction of rotation of said body, and are progressively convergent from said chamber to the opening into a recess.

1?. The device according to claim 13, and projections on the inner peripheral Wall of said chamber.

Ztl. A device for converting a liquid into vapor which comprises:

(a) a body mounted for rotation in a selected direction and having therein a chamber substantially con- Vcentric with the axis of rotation of the body and having a circular outer periphery,

`(b) said body having a plurality of recesses therein which open outwardly through said outer periphery in open faces whose widths in directions transverse to the outer periphery are substantially less than the width of such outer periphery, and also having passages lthat connect the chamber with the inner ends of said recesses and which have discharge openings into the recesses which are smaller in face area than the area of the end wall of said recesses into which they open,

(c) means for delivering a liquid to be vaporized into said chamber during rotation of said body, and

(d) a closed housing surrounding said body with a substantial space around said periphery of said body, and having an outlet connection leading from its upper portion through which vapor may be removed and which when connected to a partial vacuum may transmit such vacuum to the interior of said housing while withdrawing vapor, and also having a drain opening from its lower part through which any of the introduced liquid that is unvaporized may be withdrawn.

21. The device according to claim 20 wherein said housing has baffles on .the inner peripheral wall of said space for limiting swirling of the discharge from said recesses.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Siemens, German application No. 10-23-58, class 85 g3.

1,041,878, pub.

CHARLES I. MYHRE, Primary Examiner.

FREDERCK L. MATTESON, IR., Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR CONVERTING A LIQUID INTO A VAPOR WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A BODY MOUNTED FOR ROTATION IN ONE DIRECTION AND HAVING WITHIN IT A CENTRIFUGAL CHAMBER CONCENTRIC WITH THE AXIS OF SUCH ROTATION, AND AN INNER PERIPHERAL WALL THAT DEFINES SAID CHAMBER, (B) SAID BODY HAVING A PASSAGE WHOSE SIDE WALL IS CLOSED FROM END TO END, AND EXTENDING FROM SAID CHAMBER OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID INNER PERIPHERAL WALL AND TERMINATING AT THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE BODY IN AN EXPANSION CHAMBER HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY UNRESTRICTED FACE OPENING OUTWARDLY THROUGH THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID OUTER PERIPHERY, WITH A RESTRICTED DISCHARGE ORIFICE INTO SAID EXPANSION CHAMBER, (C) MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID BODY FOR DISCHARGING A LIQUID INTO SAID CENTRIFUAL CHAMBER CONTINUOUSLY DURING ROTATION OF SAID BODY, (D) WHEREBY DURING ROTATION OF SAID BODY SAID LIQID, AS INTRODUCED, WILL BY CENTIFUGAL ACTION FORM A LAYER THEREOF ALONG SAID INNER PERIPHERAL WALL UNDER HIGH CENTRIFUGAL PRESSURE, AND BE DISCHARGED AS A SPRAY INTO SAID EXPANSION CHAMBER WHERE AT LEAST SOME OF THE LIQUID WILL BE VAPORIZED, (E) AND MEANS FOR COLLECTING AND WITHDRAWING SAID VAPORS FROM SAID EXPANSION CHAMBER SEPARATED FROM THE BALANCE OF THE LIQUID. 